Undercover Blues
by mabelreid
Summary: Reid and Emily take survelliance duty on New Years Eve in Denver. The case may not be the only danger awaiting them. Will they survive buried feelings and close quarters? EMILY/REID pairing Follows "Retaliation"
1. Coffee and other Distractions

_**Disclaimer: see my profile**_

_**A/n this takes place after "Retaliation." I assume that Hotch is back as Unit Cheif and the cane is gone for Reid, otherwise it follows cannon. This will be at least three maybe four chapters long**_.

_**Coffee and other Distractions**_

The bellhop, wearing a crimson red and gold uniform, took their 'bags' into the bedroom while Reid looked around at the room Garcia had got for them.

"You guys are lucky. I thought we were full up." The bellhop commented as he turned over the key card to Emily.

"Yeah…" Emily agreed.

She tipped him with a twenty-dollar bill and he gaped at her. "Thanks lady!"

"How is that staying inconspicuous?" Reid complained after the excited bellhop left the room.

"Haven't you heard of hiding behind flamboyant behavior? He'll think we're somebody and leave us alone. He'll tell his friends on the staff all about it and they won't bother us when were here."

He just looked at her.

"Truest me it'll work. They'll all know were not married, which is why Garcia didn't book the honeymoon suite.

"That and the fact that we needed a good look into the building across the way. The honeymoon suite is on the wrong side of the building."

"How do you know?" Emily said crossing her arms.

"I asked Garcia. She knows everything!"

"True!"

Emily dropped her go bag dangerously close to Reid's newly healed leg. "Hey watch it!" He complained as she put their key card on the small Queen Anne writing desk next to the hotel suite door.

"Sorry Reid," she apologized vaguely.

"This is a bad idea," he complained, sitting down on the long, comfortable sofa, upholstered in pale gold, across from the coffee table and two matching armchairs.

"Hotch asked us to do this because everyone else is busy with other aspects of the case. He trusts us!" She reminded him as he looked around at the rest of the spacious suite they would call home for what he sincerely hoped would be just that one night.

"I know… I just don't think this is the best way to find the next clue."

"We've been at this for days Reid. If we're going to find Maria, we have to have more information."

"Okay… I'll trust in Hotch for the time being." Reid agreed.

He went to the writing desk and picked up a piece of cream-colored stationary from the top. Printed across the top was "The Ritz Carlton, Denver," He flipped it over, feeling the heavy stock with his fingers and wondering if anyone still wrote letters to each other on hotel stationary when they have the internet.

Speaking of the internet, he watched Emily hook up her laptop to the net at the second desk, kiddy corner from the small Queen Anne.

"All the modern conveniences," she enthused, while prying off the high-heeled boots she had worn in the snow that fell beyond their window.

He reached into the pocket of his dark grey fitted vest for his watch. The time read eight thirty-eight. It was New Years Eve and for once, he wasn't alone even if it meant he had to work.

"Hey Reid, penny for your thoughts," Emily said.

"N-nothing I was just thinking that it's New Year's Eve. I bet you probably had something else planned for tonight."

"Not really… I usually just read a good book and go to bed early. I don't much care for being out to parties and staying up all night."

"Y-yeah… Um, me either," he agreed.

He wouldn't admit for a million dollars that he always wished for someone to spend New Years Eve with instead of being alone.

He looked over to see her opening her go bag. "I'm going to change into something more comfortable."

"What?" He squeaked.

"Pay attention Reid, if we have to stay up all night watching for our friends across the way, I intend to be comfortable."

"But -"

"Why don't you make some coffee? There should be a coffee maker and some great gourmet coffee in the cabinet there. I'm sure the television is hidden in there too."

"H-how do you know?"

"I've stayed in my share of four star hotels. I just don't know how Garcia got us booked into this hotel at the right floor for this surveillance on such short notice."

"Um… I d-don't t-think we should try to find out." He said as he found the coffee where she said it would be, in the huge cabinet, sectioned off from the television.

Emily smirked at him as he began making a pot of coffee. "I think it's always best not to ask questions when it comes to Garcia."

"W-why couldn't she find us a room with two bedrooms," He stammered, going pink in the cheeks.

"I told her one bedroom. They're supposed to think we're a couple." She reminded him.

His face flamed hotter, if only that were true for real. He decided not to look at her and watched the coffee pot as though his life depended on it.

"That coffee machine won't get up and wander away if you turn your back on it you know."

He put a hand up to his face. It felt cool enough so he turned around. "I know, I guess I'm just thinking about no sleep tonight."

"Well, I'm going to get comfortable and I guess you'll take the first watch while I get some sleep."

"Oh… Ah, okay Emily," he agreed.

She went to the door between the bedroom and the rest of the suite. "Don't overdose on that." She said, pointing at the coffee filling the pot.

He laughed and watched her retreat into the bedroom with her bag. Someone had put a door made from clouded and etched glass with the hotel's emblem and flowers, instead of a regular door.

The light went on after she shut the door. He turned away, picked up the pot from the coffee maker, and picked up one of the white ceramic mugs, also emblazoned with the hotel's name and emblem. He turned back to the door and almost dropped the coffee pot.

He could see Emily's silhouette through the clouded glass. The light behind her reminded him of an old style film noir type movie, he'd seen once where a group of women tried to distract a gang of thugs from robbing a saloon. He watched her take off her sweater, drawing it off her body and tossing it to the ground. She pushed her pants down at the same time hot coffee spilled over his hand and onto the pale peach colored carpet.

"Damn it!" He shouted, putting both the cup and the coffee pot on the coffee table.

"You okay Reid." His voice pushed out into the room.

"Yeah… no problem," He tried not to look, but he couldn't help himself.

She was pulling on something short over her long legs. From the black shadow on white, it didn't look like she had a bra on or a top as she slowly rolled up and pushed her hands through her hair.

"Don't look at her." He repeated to himself, but he could make his eyes leave the door, and Emily as she pulled something over her head.

"I'll be out in a minute, and then you can change too." She called out through the door.

"Oh no…"

He leaped to the door just off the main room. It had to be the bathroom. If he could look busy cleaning up the mess…

He knelt with a damp washcloth in his hand just as Emily opened the door and entered the living area.

"What happened to you Reid?"

"Um… I spilled some of the coffee. It's going to stain." He dabbed anxiously at the spots on that carpet.

"You're not going to get it out with that," she scolded. "Leave it for housekeeping. I'm sure they have something that'll work."

"But it'll set in and then -"

"Reid, they put the coffee pot there knowing people would spill it. I'm sure the staff can handle it."

"I'm not sure I can…" He uttered as he went back to the bathroom.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing…"

He rinsed out the washcloth and tried to get his mind back on the case at hand. He looked into the mirror and lectured himself in a low voice. "Now… you have to remember that there's a young woman to find out there. Garcia found this address, but we know that the un-sub isn't holding her here. It's an office building so if we watch his office, maybe he'll make a mistake. You have to concentrate on the job at hand. Forget about Emily. There's a life at stake."

He nodded firmly to himself and turned back to the living area. Emily was setting up their recording equipment and the camera they brought with them just in case. He silently helped her set up the audio equipment too.

"Are you going to change or sit up all night in your work clothes?" Emily prodded.

"Oh um… Okay, I'll be right back."


	2. Walking on Eggshells

_**Disclaimer: see my profile**_

_**Walking on Eggshells**_

Reid grabbed his go bag and the half-empty suitcase that had contained some of his things and some of the equipment. The bellhop assigned to them that afternoon hadn't seemed bothered by the fact that Mr. Reid and Ms Prentiss had the room for the night. Reid went pink just thinking about it. It hadn't seemed to bother Emily. He should learn not to let such things bother him, but… His mother had taught him to respect women though, and showing up at a hotel room, without a ring on either of their fingers, freaked him out just a little.

He left her there with the equipment to change into the nightclothes he'd brought. His limp was barely perceptible and the pain nearly gone. At least the cane wasn't necessary anymore. He flipped on the lights and took the bags over to the bed. Emily's bags sat closed up on the still made bed. He looked at the door. He should move out of the line of her vision. Just because she hadn't realized that he could see her through the door, didn't mean he could pretend he didn't know she might be watching him.

He paced the room up and down. _What would Morgan do? _

_You know what he'd do. He wouldn't hesitate to make a spectacle of himself._

_He would if it was Emily. _

_How do you know?_

_I just do. I'm going to put on my sleep clothes and go have another cup of coffee. If we're lucky, we can catch the un-sub tonight and it'll be all over._

Satisfied that he'd successfully fooled himself, he made sure he stayed away from the door and changed into his sleep clothes.

_----_

Emily checked the equipment for a third time while keeping her eyes and mind off the bedroom door. Her face went hot at just the thought of what she must have done to Reid. The spilled coffee was proof that he'd seen her changing.

_How could you not realize the light would cast a silhouette on that stupid door? _

_I'm tired! I didn't think to check._

_Maybe your subconscious mind wants to give into what you've been denying for months._

_No, we're on a job. I have to be professional. _

She looked at the coffee stain on the floor and sighed. She should've been more careful. The sad fact was that they all let their guard down with each other. It's what being a team and trusting each other meant. If they couldn't trust each other, they couldn't do the job.

_Should she say something to him? _

She walked back across the room to the window they'd decided to use to see into the offices of the building across the way. Snow fell in tiny little flakes only seen in the streetlights and headlights of passing cars.

Her phone rang, and she jumped. "Prentiss," she growled into the receiver.

"Hey… I'm just checking up on my two doves," Garcia said. "You don't have to get testy."

"Garcia, I'm tired, it's New Years Eve and I'm stuck in this hotel room doing surveillance."

"That's why I'm calling. Did you set up the laptop and the other equipment?"

"Yeah…"

"Okay… I'll let Hotch know. Call him as soon as you can. He was sounding a bit stressed a minute ago."

"I'll call him. Goodbye Garcia."

She hung up just as Reid came out of the room in a pair of dark blue sweat pants and a lighter blue tee shirt. His feet were bare of socks or slippers and for some reason she couldn't take her eyes off them.

"E-Emily… Is e-everything okay?"

"What?"

"You look a little flushed. Is it too hot in here?"

The innocence in his chocolate eyes sent her heartbeat skyrocketing. "No Reid, its fine. I was just checking the view to make sure we could see into the office building."

She turned her back on him and went back to the window. "Get a grip!" She said to herself under her breath.

"What did you say?" Reid said.

"I said it looks like the view is clear. Um, I'm just going to try and get some sleep." She turned back to him, keeping her eyes firmly on his face.

"Oh, ah okay," he gave her one of his cute little waves and her heart began to race again.

"I'll take over in four hours. Wake me up if anything happens."

"I will…"

He studied her with the oddest look on his face. She should say something. She should apologize for earlier. If she did, she might embarrass him. It would be the height of humiliation for them both, if he'd just spilled the coffee for no other reason than clumsiness.

"So, um goodnight then," she said and hurried away.

She almost slammed the door to the bedroom in her haste to get away_. Pull it together and remember there's a young woman out there counting on you! _

She climbed into the bed and pulled the silky sheets up to her chin. Her watch, on the bedside table showed the time to be just after nine thirty. She punched the pillow in frustration. It was too early to sleep, even though she was tired.

_Hey smart girl, remember to check in with Hotch?_

Crap… She'd forget to make that call.

She grabbed her phone and called the familiar number. "Hey Hotch… Yeah… everything is set up. Reid is taking the first watch. Yes… I'll get some sleep. Don't worry, I'll let the detective know if we get anything over here before morning. No! Hotch… Yeah, we won't go running out after the bad guys. We'll let the SWAT team do their job. Yeah… you guys get some sleep too."

She slapped the phone shut and turned out the light. A bit of light came through the other side of the door, but she didn't see Reid moving around in the living room.

"He's doing his job. Go to sleep." She told herself irritably.

Her phone alarm was set for one thirty. She had a little over four hours to sleep before she had to get up and take over watching at the window. She turned over and looked into the darkness of the room. The hotel had many people there for the holiday, but it was quiet around them. Everyone must be out at parties, either that, or the walls are thicker then they're used to.

She flipped over again and closed her eyes. Damn it… she punched the pillow again. The only thing she could see closing her eyes was a certain beautiful pair of puppy dog brown eyes.

_Be professional and stop thinking about him! Morgan would laugh like crazy to see you acting this way._

She turned over again and sighed. Getting four hours of sleep seemed pretty far out of reach for now.

----

Reid pushed one of the chairs around to face the window. He'd turned off all the lights except for the light on the desk. He frowned and felt his face get hot. It was stupid that he couldn't sit in the dark. What would the rest of the police they worked with in Denver think of his fear of the dark? They'd probably laugh and he didn't blame them.

He sat back in the spoon back chair and sighed. He'd also moved a small end table from next to the couch and perched his cup of coffee on it. He picked up the mug and winced at the taste. It was starting to cool off too much. He put it back and concentrated on the window. He could concentrate and shut everything else out of his head. He didn't need to think about Emily and if she'd known about the light in the door, or if it was an accident. She didn't act as if anything had gone wrong. Should he say something though? She might get mad if she knew he watched her on purpose.

"Concentrate!" He said sternly in a low whisper.

Yeah… concentrate and forget about it. She'd never do that on purpose. The only reason a girl would do that would be to… His face went hot again. No girl would ever flaunt herself in front of him like that on purpose. Women didn't think of him that way, especially Emily and wishing for it wouldn't make it so.

He looked out at the black night and the window of the address Garcia had pulled out of her babies with the magic she could do. The size of the snowflakes had increased and they stuck to the building and the roads. The Christmas lights lit the snowflakes making then glow in gold, scarlet and brilliant blue as they hit the ground. It was a bit like being stuck inside a snow globe. He sighed, and wondered if their victim was okay. Had more than one person kidnapped her, which might be the case?

He looked over at the desk light again. His could just see his pocket watch in the low light when he pulled in from his pocket. An hour and a half of the surveillance had passed by, but it felt like three.

His eyes started to droop despite the two cups of coffee he'd drunk in the last hour. Nothing changed outside except the size of the snowflakes and the rate at which they fell in the black night.

Everyone must be out celebrating… Surely, no one but his team and maybe medical personnel and cops were working that night. Still, it was better than sitting around at home alone.

He looked back in the direction of the bedroom. What did Emily dream about at night?

His face went hot and he flinched when a sound drew his attention to the fact that Emily had come out of the bedroom. She stood in the low light with her dark hair mussed on one side and a strange look on her face. He tried not to look at her bare legs or the blue and purple plaid boxers she wore with a pink tee shirt as sleep clothes. He turned back to look out the window and sip more coffee. The minutes ticked by so slowly, the hours seemed like weeks.

"Emily?"

"I couldn't sleep."

"Oh…"

She walked over to his side and looked out at the window for a long time. "Anything happen?"

"No… It's been really quiet."

"Yeah…"

The silence of the room weighed down on him like a heavy blanket as he stood there staring out at the dark and falling snow. He saw her shiver out of the corner of his eye. He went to the couch, pulled the gold and peach cashmere throw hanging over the arm, and put it around her shoulders.

"Thanks Reid… I don't know why I feel cold all of the sudden."

"Y-you're welcome."

They stared in silence at the window for long minutes. "It's almost midnight." Emily said.

"Yeah…"

"Reid, I need to ask you something."

"Okay…"

"Um, I did something I need to apologize to you for," she said, looking out the window.

"You did?"

"Yeah!"

"What did you do?" He kept his eyes on the window even though he could feel her looking at him.

"Um… I didn't do it on purpose. I don't know if you noticed and if you didn't then I'm humiliating myself for nothing, but you're my friend and I didn't want you to think that I would do that on purpose. There's the light behind the bedroom door there, and you can see inside and -"

"It's okay Emily… I know you'd never do that on purpose for me. It was a mistake."

"You saw it."

"Yeah…"

She put a hand on his face and made him look at her. "I'm sorry."

He blushed pink. "It's okay. I should have looked away. I'm sorry I didn't show you proper respect. If you want me to leave and you can have Hotch or -"

"No, I don't want the other guys here. I want you here."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah…"

Suddenly sound erupted around them and light began to go off in the sky. Someone had begun to shoot off fireworks outside. They burst into red, gold and green high above the air, distracting the two agents from their discussion.

"It's midnight." Reid said unnecessarily.

He looked over at Emily whose face reflected the red and green light from the fire works as she looked back at him. Something in her eyes confused him. She looked at him like he felt on the inside. Her face moved closer to his and he smelled a bit of mint that must be toothpaste. He held his breath as his upper body moved closer to her. Time seemed to standstill. He licked his lips as her eyes moved closer, and closer, until they became the only thing he could see.


	3. Happy New Year, Spencer Reid

_**Disclaimer: see my profile**_

_**A/n thank guys for reading and supporting this story. This will be the last chapter. Happy New Year to you all!**_

_**Happy New Year, Spencer Reid **_

Her eyes grew in his sight until nothing else mattered in his universe. His body had frozen to the spot in front of the window. More vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate washed over him, making his frozen limbs warm as the faint song of "Auld Lang Syne," began to permeate the walls of the building over the pops and cracks of the fireworks.

One of her hands reached up and touched his face. He wanted to close his eyes, but her dark irises held him captive in his place. The warmth of her hand and the intense scent that made Emily unique sent shivers up and down his spine. He opened his mouth, but her right forefinger cut off the half-hearted protests he wanted to make. Her finger slid down over his chin and she smiled at him as though they had never been anything other than what they were at that moment in time.

Emily blinked and everything began to move in slow motion as though caught up in a romantic movie when the lead characters run to each other for that sweet first kiss. He swallowed, the click in his throat heard over the murmur of the song outside in the streets.

Then, as though it was the most natural thing in the world, her lips found his. Her hands tangled in his hair, and more goose bumps popped out on his arms as her warm fingers caressed this scalp. Her mouth felt hot on his lips and more little shivers moved in his stomach.

The kiss lasted and lasted, going hot, intense, warm, and sweet like the first kiss of two love stricken teenagers. He never knew for sure just which one of them it was, but one of them groaned in a soft little sound of need and desire.

He broke off first and pushed away trembling from head to foot. They were supposed to be working, not making out like a couple of hormone driven -

"Reid!"

"I'm sorry Emily. I didn't mean to do that. I should just get out of here."

She took his arm and made him stop. He looked up at her in the low light of the desk lamp. Her face looked flushed, her lips a little swollen and her sleep tossed hair looked a bit more mussed now.

"Aren't people supposed to kiss at midnight," she smiled.

"Oh… I thought, well I'm sorry. I didn't mean to think that -"

His face flamed again so he went to the window and leaned his head against the cold of the glass. Of course, she would only kiss him because of the holiday and tradition. It didn't mean anything. How could he think she really liked him? How could he think the moment had gotten to her just as it got to him?

"Reid!"

Oh God… how embarrassing could anything get. He worked with her. She should slap his face and then slap him with a lawsuit. He deserved it. Maybe if he went to Hotch before she did, he could ask for a transfer to another unit and not lose his job.

"Spencer!"

He jerked at the use of his Christian name. He blinked at the impatience in her dark, lovely eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong Spencer. I kissed you if you don't remember."

"I - um I don't really remember what exactly happened."

He should remember… Wasn't that the curse of eidetic memory? Her closeness seemed to scramble his brain for some reason.

"You don't remember!" She looked angry now.

"Yes… I mean I remember about t-the k-kiss." He stammered. "It w-was n-nice. I j-just don't r-remember w-who initiated it."

"Oh…" She went a little pink in the low light.

"I'm sorry!"

"You don't have anything to be sorry about." She began to pace anxiously around the living area as the last of the fireworks burst into the sky with a loud boom as though a bomb had gone off in the sky. He kept his eyes on the sky and the gold, sparkling lights that fell slowly to earth like the snow falling outside the window.

"Look Reid, I've been trying for months to either tell you that I have real feelings for you or to just forget them and try to work like we used to without complications."

"Oh!"

"Reid," She stopped in front of him and put a hand on his arm. "I made my choice. I just want you to tell me if you're okay with all the trouble we'll be in with Hotch and the FBI. This is going to complicate our lives. Not to mention all the teasing you'll be in from Morgan and Garcia over this."

"That's not funny Emily!"

She laughed. "You should see your face."

He went to the other chair across from the couch and pulled it over to the window. "Shouldn't we get back to watching for Matthews and his accomplices?"

"Why do you think there is more than one?" She asked sitting down in the chair he'd occupied till the kiss.

"You think so too."

"Something like this needs more than one person to pull it off."

"I agree."

They were silent for a long moment, watching the remaining Christmas lights on the street and trees light up the night and stain the snow gold and red.

"Do you think they'll come back tonight?" Emily asked.

"I don't know. New Year's Eve provides built in distractions with fireworks and music and drinking. They could think no one's watching and make a mistake."

"I hope you're right. I hate the thought of leaving Maria out there on this holiday. Who knows what's happening to her."

"I hope it's not the same as the others." Reid said as he looked out to the dark and the snow.

Emily shivered. "I hope not. I don't think I could handle that again," as she wrapped the throw tighter around her shoulders.

"Are you cold? I could turn up the heat if you want." He jumped up to his feet.

"No, but I wouldn't say no to a cup of that coffee."

"Oh yeah," He grabbed his cup, switching on one of the lights to see if he needed to make another pot.

"Thanks," she said a smile in her voice that he couldn't really see as he'd turned off all the lights.

He could see the indicator lights on the camera and other audio equipment. He let them guide him to the windows, which also let in the glow from the lights and moonlight outside.

"Hey Emily," he sat down and put the cups of coffee on the table between them.

"What Spencer?" She grinned at the sudden enthusiasm in his voice.

"There's a blue moon tonight."

"Really?"

"Yeah… Tonight is the first time we've had a blue moon on New Year's Eve in nineteen years. A full moon occurs once every 29.5 days. Most years have twelve full moons in a year. On average, a blue moon occurs once every 2.5 years. The next blue moon on New Year's Eve will be on 2028."

"That's pretty neat Reid, but I'm more interested in this."

She slipped into his lap and began kissing him. His brain entered that wonderful state of blissful blankness until something began to beep.

"Damn!"

Emily slid off his lap and they attempted to pay attention to the voices coming through the audio bugs. One of the lights came on in the office across the way.

"…_. I told you I wanted to keep her for myself." _

"_There's too much heat on us now. We have to get her out of the country before the FBI tracks us down." _

"_Then why did you come back here?"_

"We need to call Hotch." Reid hissed at Emily.

"No… We need more."

"… _told you that I'd pay you for your inconvenience Senator." _

"_Maria Jimenez has cost me more than she's worth. You pay me double and I'll think about letting her go." _

"_You'll take what we offered you or I'll call a friend at the Washington Post." _

"_You go down and so do I! Just hurry up and get rid of her. I don't want my wife finding out about my little hiding place out at the ranch." _

"_Don't worry Senator! She won't find out." _

"We've heard enough," Emily said as she pulled out her phone. "Let's call Hotch in and get SWAT over there."

---

The jet arrowed its way home in the early morning light of the first new day of 2010. Everyone slept except for Emily who couldn't make her eyes close despite no sleep for the last 48 hours.

"You need to get some rest." Hotch said.

She looked over the table at her boss, who'd finished his paperwork and had been staring out the window of the plane for the last hour.

"You should talk." She shot back.

He lifted an eyebrow at her and nodded. "I can't seem to get my eyes to close. I keep thinking about Jack and starting a new decade without his mother."

"I'm sorry Hotch. I know you never really stopped caring about her."

"She was my first love and the mother of my son." He said simply. "I don't want to talk about Haley." He ended the subject. "I'm just glad we saved another young mother from a sex slave ring."

"Me too," She agreed.

"What's happened with you and Reid?" He said abruptly.

She would have choked on her coffee if she had a cup in her hand. "What?"

"I'm a profiler Emily. I know something's going on."

"Hotch I swear nothing happened. It was just a kiss. I realize that with the fraternization rules that -"

"Stop!" He held up a hand.

She stopped and stared out the window of the jet at the pink and purple light of the sunrise. Her hands began to sweat and her heart to pound so hard, Hotch probably heard it.

"I won't say I'm happy because I think relationships in the team can hurt the dynamics of that team, but the frat rules only apply to supervisor and subordinate, not to teammates. Keep it out of the office from now on and I won't say anything more about it."

"Thanks Hotch!"

He didn't smile so she put her head back and tried to make her tired eyes go to sleep.

---

Reid followed Emily off the plane after they landed. "Hey…" She said as he came up beside her. "Hotch knows about us."

"He does?" Reid squeaked.

"Don't worry! He isn't mad at us, but we have to keep it out of the office."

"I can do that." He smiled widely as the sun glinted off the snow.

She pulled out her sunglasses and smiled back. "Come on… I'm tired. I want food and you're buying. We'll go to IHOP or something. Then I think I'll show you my place." She winked at him.

"You're on!"

THE END


End file.
